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It's my bike in a box

These are the last-minute details.

Since I may not get another chance to post before Saturday (but probably will), I wanted to post a link to the Susitna 100 Web site. Last year, they posted checkpoint check-in times during the race. It was surprisingly up-to-date all the way until I wandered across the finish line at 10 a.m., about five hours after I left the last checkpoint with only 13 miles to go. If that wasn't enough of a delayed finish, they didn't actually post that I had finished until after 1 p.m. The time delay caused my parents, friends and even a few people out in bloggerland some understandable anxiety. So I post this link with the disclaimer that I may be where they say I am ... hoofing deliriously down the trail at a rate of about 1 mph. Or, I may not. But please check it out. When it gets really lonely out there, it's a comforting thought to believe that some people are - in a distant way - watching you.

Actually packing all of my gear into two bags was an interesting experience. Geoff and I are going to be gone for five days, and we actually have an airport baggage weight problem.

Geoff: "Did you know they have a 50-pound limit on your luggage?"

Me: "All of your luggage?"

Geoff: "No, each bag. But that bike box is over 40 pounds. How much do you think all of that other stuff weighs?"

Me, looking at a bed stacked a foot-high with random gear: "It may be less than 50 pounds."

Geoff: "It doesn't look it. Can't you leave some stuff home?"

Me, feeling deflated: "I haven't even packed anything for the four other days yet. That's just stuff I need in the race."

Geoff: "Hmmm. Better wear something the the airport you can wash a few times."

And in a few hours, I'm going to have to hoist it all into a car and somehow carry it into the airport. What's even stranger to me is that, eventually, I'm going to have to carry all that stuff 100 miles.

I'll probably post a pre-race report tomorrow. But in case I don't get a chance, thank you to everyone who has been watching and who has wished me well.

33 comments:

Hi Jill,I'm sure there will be quite a few people following your progress throught the race. It's kind of strange the immediacy the internet has given to things such as this. I watched all the drama of the CDR unfold over the web. Listened to phoned in race reports, etc. of a bunch of people I had never met grinding there way across the country. I was pretty cool. Anyhow, best of luck, though you don't really strike me as needing it to much. Geoff, good luck. Running, just a higher degree of insanity. :-) Cheers

Good luck to both of you. I have to agree with reese though, the only reason to run is if there's a large carnivore chasing you. :)

Oh, and be nice to the airport baggage people. Last time my finace and I flew with our bikes she ended up calling the national help center for our airline because the checked-baggage person was trying to charge us the extra for having a bike plus an oversized fee. She was wrong and we paid only the bike extortion, er, fee but my fiance ended up going through extra security screening on every leg of the journey. There's no way that was random, not four times in a row. I'm sure the baggage clerk put us on some kind of watch list.

Good Luck Jill and have fun! All the well wishes I received for my Arrowhead attempt really helped me out. I thought about everyone that wished me luck while I was out in those woods alone. I hope to pass some of that on to you. Stop by and check out my post from Monday the 12th. There is a message for you in the comments and a bit of a scoop on who might be entering the 2008 Arrowhead 135.

Have a GREAT race, Jill!!! And check the airlines website (or phone them) about taking your bike - it may fall into a separate classification altogether (which you will no doubt have to pay for), and that being the case not count as "luggage" per se, freeing up 40lbs for you.

Jill, I have been following your riding and writing and I admire both. I am originally from Germany but live now in Omaha, NE. I MTB and your blog made me go and ride outside again despite the weather (temps in the teens and lot's of wind) All the luck, strengh and will-power and gods speed. Cickas rock!!!

Jill, good luck to you and Geoff. I know you will do well! I'll be keeping track on the web.

I meant to comment on your food question a couple days ago. Although I think Perpetuem is the best fuel for a race like this, I don't think you should use it. It would digest well with the other things you're taking plus it doesn't sound like you've been using it in training.